Win-Win Transportation Solutions - WALKSacramento€¦ · Win-Win Transportation Solutions Market reforms justified on economic principles that help provide various economic, social

Win-Win Transportation Solutions

Planning To Help The Economy, Benefit The Environment and Improve Our Communities

Todd Litman Victoria Transport Policy Institute

Presented

Sacramento, California 13 June 2012

Creating Paradise

Paradise is not a

distant destination,

it is something we

create in our own

communities.

6/13/2012

Sustainable Planning

Sustainability

emphasizes the

integrated nature of

human activities and

therefore the need to

coordinate planning

among different sectors,

jurisdictions and

groups.

Sustainabile Transportation?

Is a transport system

sustainable if all

vehicles are electric

powered?

Electric Power Does Not:

• Reduce traffic congestion

• Reduce accidents

• Reduce roadway costs

• Reduce parking facility costs

• Reduce vehicle purchase costs

• Improve mobility for non-drivers

• Improve social equity

• Improve public fitness and health

• Reduce sprawl

• Protect threatened habitat

Paradigm Shift

Multi-modal smart growth

• Compact, mixed urban villages.

• Good walking and cycling

conditions.

• Good public transit service.

• Low vehicle traffic speeds.

Automobile-dependent sprawl

• Lower-density, urban fringe

development.

• Poor walking and cycling

conditions.

• Infrequent public transport service.

• High-speed highways.

What is “The” Transportation Problem?

• Traffic congestion?

• Road construction costs?

• Parking congestion or costs?

• Excessive costs to consumers?

• Traffic crashes?

• Lack of mobility for non-drivers?

• Poor freight services?

• Environmental impacts?

• Inadequate physical activity?

• Others?

Current Transport Planning

Current planning tends to be reductionist: each

problem is assigned to a single agency with

narrowly defined responsibilities. For example:

• Transport agencies deal with congestion.

• Environmental agencies deal with pollution.

• Welfare agencies deal with the needs of disadvantaged

people.

• Public health agencies are concerned with community

fitness.

• Etc.

Reductionist Decision-Making

Reductionist planning can

result in public agencies

implementing solutions to

one problem that

exacerbate other problems

facing society, and tends to

undervalue strategies that

provide multiple but modest

benefits.

Win-Win Solutions

Put another way, more

comprehensive

planning helps identify

“Win-Win” strategies:

solutions to one

problem that also help

solve other problems

facing society.

Ask:

“Which congestion-reduction

strategy also reduces

parking costs, saves

consumers money, and

improves mobility options for

non-drivers.”

Comparing Benefits Planning

Objectives

Expand

Roadways

Efficient and Alt.

Fuel Vehicles

Improve Alt. Modes

and Smart Growth

Vehicle Travel Impacts Increased VMT Increased VMT Reduced VMT

Reduce traffic congestion

Improved travel experience

Roadway cost savings

Parking cost savings

Consumer cost savings

Improve mobility options

Improve traffic safety

Energy conservation

Pollution reduction

Land use objectives

Public fitness & health

17

Comparing Costs

Automobile Dependency and Sprawl

During the last century

many transport and land

use development

practices tended to favor

automobile dependency

and sprawl. Many of these

trends are now reversing.

Trends Supporting Multi-Modalism

• Motor vehicle saturation.

• Aging population.

• Rising fuel prices.

• Increased urbanization.

• Increased traffic and parking congestion.

• Rising roadway construction costs and declining economic return from increased roadway capacity.

• Environmental concerns.

• Health Concerns U.S. vehicle travel grew steadily during the

Twentieth Century but stopped about 2003.

U.S. Annual Vehicle Mileage

Average Annual Mileage by Age

(Polzin, Chu and McGuckin 2011)

Housing Demand By Type (Nelson 2006)

The current supply of

large-lot suburban is

approximately adequate

to satisfy demand for

the next two decades.

Most growth will be in

smaller-lot and multi-

family housing.

“Emerging Trends in Real Estate”

“Energy prices and road congestion

accelerate the move back into

metropolitan-area interiors as more

people crave greater convenience in their

lives. They want to live closer to work and

shopping without the hassle of car

dependence… Apartment and townhouse

living looks more attractive, especially to

singles and empty nesters—high utility

bills, gasoline expenses, car payments,

and rising property taxes make suburban-

edge McMansion lifestyles decidedly less

economical.” (Urban Land Institute 2009)

Modal Shifts

25

Small shifts from

automobile to alternative

modes causes large

increases in walking,

cycling and public transit

demand.

For example, a 10-point

shift doubles demand for

alternative modes.

26

Conventional Evaluation

Generally Considered

• Congestion impacts

• Vehicle operating costs

• Per-mile crash impacts

• Per-mile pollution

emissions.

Often Overlooked

• Parking costs

• Total consumer costs

• Downstream congestion

• Crash, energy & pollution

impacts of changes in mileage

• Land use impacts

• Impacts on mobility options for

non-drivers/equity impacts

• Changes in active transport

and related health impacts

Congestion Reduction

• Urban road congestion maintains equilibrium. It gets bad enough to discourage further vehicle trips.

• The quality of travel options affects this point of equilibrium: If alternatives are inferior, few motorists will shift mode and congestion will be severe. If alternatives are attractive, motorists are more likely to shift modes, reducing congestion equilibrium.

• Grade-separated transit tends to reduce congestion on parallel highways. When all impacts are considered it is often the most cost effective congestion reduction strategy.

Parking Cost Savings

Most people have no idea

of the real costs of

providing parking

facilities.

Most vehicles are worth

less than the total value

of parking spaces they

use. The majority of these

costs are subsidized (not

borne directly by users)

Traffic Fatalities

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200

Annual Per Capita Transit Passenger-Miles

Tra

ffic

Fa

taliti

es

Pe

r 1

00

,00

0

Re

sid

en

ts

Automobile Dependent

Multi-Modal

Safety Benefits

0

5

10

15

20

25

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Percent of All Trips by Non-Motorized Modes

Tra

ffic

Fata

liti

es P

er

100,0

00

Po

pu

lati

on

Northern EuropeSouthern EuropeUSCanadaAffluent Asian CitiesAustralia

Smart Growth Safety Impacts

What Gets People Moving?

Walking is a natural

and essential

activity. If you ask

sedentary people

what physical

activity they will

most likely to stick

with, walking usually

ranks first.

33

Land Use Impacts On Travel

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

AutoDependent

Mixed Multi-Modal

Av

era

ge

Da

ily M

inu

tes

Urban Index Rating

Automobile

Transit

Walk

Transportation Affordability

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200

Per-Capita Annual Transit Passenger-Miles

Tra

ns

pro

t P

ort

ion

of

Ho

us

eh

old

Ex

pe

nd

itu

res

Automobile Dependent

Muti-Modal

Community Economic Impacts

0

5

10

15

20

25

Petroleum General

Automobile

Expenses

General

Consumer

Expenditures

Public Transit

Jo

bs C

reate

d P

er $

1 m

illi

on

Exp

en

dit

ure

• Transport savings and efficiencies (congestion, parking, taxes) increases productivity and competitiveness.

• Reducing vehicle expenditures and expanding transit service increases regional employment and business activity.

• Agglomeration efficiencies.

• Supports strategic land use development objectives.

• Increases affordability, allowing businesses to attract employees in areas with high living costs.

• Changes in household expenditures on vehicles and fuel.

Per Capita GDP and VMT

Productivity tends to

decline with increased

mobility. (Each dot is a

U.S. urban region.)

Bureau of Economic Analysis

and FHWA data

R2 = 0.2923

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000

Per Capita Annual Mileage (2005)

Per

Cap

ita A

nn

ual

GD

P (

2004)

Per Capita GDP and Transit Ridership

R2 = 0.3363

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

$80,000

$90,000

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400

Per Capita Annual Transit Passenger-Miles

Per

Cap

ita A

nn

ual

GD

PProductivity tends to

increase with transit

ridership. (Each dot is

a U.S. urban region.)

Bureau of Economic Analysis

and FHWA data

Return on Investment

High quality public transit

typically requires about $268 in

additional subsidies and $104

in additional fares annually per

capita, but provides vehicle,

parking and road cost savings

averaging $1,040 per capita,

plus other savings and benefits:

• Parking cost savings.

• Congestion reductions

• Accident reductions

• Pollution reductions Improved

mobility for non-drivers,

• Improved fitness and health

Equity

A more diverse transportation

systems helps achieve equity

objectives:

• A fair share of public resources for

non-drivers.

• Financial savings to lower-income

people.

• Increased opportunity to people who

are physically, socially or economically

disadvantaged.

Win-Win Transportation Solutions

Market reforms justified on economic principles that help provide various economic, social and environmental benefits.

• Improved travel options.

• Incentives to use travel alternatives.

• Accessible land use.

• Policy and market reforms.

Sustainable Transport Hierarchy

1. Walking

2. Cycling

3. Public Transit

4. Service & Freight

5. Taxi

6. HOV

7. Private Automobile

46

Comprehensive Multi-Modal Planning

• Evaluation and planning based on

accessibility instead of mobility.

• Consider all modes

• Consider all impacts and

objectives

• Least-cost funding (invest in the

most cost effective solution,

considering all impacts and

objectives)

Public Transit Benefit Categories

Improved Transit

Services

Increased Transit

Travel

Reduced Automobile

Travel

Transit-Oriented

Development

• Improved user convenience and comfort

• Improved travel options, particularly for non-drivers

• Improved local property values

• Direct user benefits

• Economic development benefits from increased access to education and employment.

• Increased public fitness and health, since most transit trips include walking and cycling links.

• Reduced traffic congestion

• Road and parking cost savings

• Consumer cost savings

• Reduced crash risk to others

• Air and noise pollution reductions

• Energy conservation

• Economic development benefits

• More livable communities.

• Reduced sprawl (more compact, mixed development) reduces land consumption, reduces costs of providing public services, preserves openspace.

• Improved accessibility, particularly for non-drivers

• Reduced vehicle ownership

49

Conventional Transport Indicators

• Roadway Level-of-Service

(LOS)

• Average traffic speeds.

• Per capita congestion delay.

• Parking occupancy rates.

• Traffic fatalities per billion

vehicle-miles.

• Traffic fatalities per 100,000

population.

50

Multi-Modal LOS (Jacksonville)

Cycling LOS Pedestrian LOS

51

Multi-Modal Prioritization

Cycling Improvements Pedestrian Improvements

53

Innovative Transport Planning

• Complete streets

• Road diets

• Traffic calming

• Context oriented planning

• Mulit-modal planning

• Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

• Non-motorized planning

• Transit-Oriented development

• Parking management

Linking the Centers across US29 by Dan Burden, Walkable & Livable Communities Institute

55

Ped/bike bridge from mall to transit stop/garage

56

Mixed-use redevelopment on mall parking lot

57

Landscaping matures

58

Additional redevelopment

59

Landscaping matures over time

Mobility Management

Improved Transport

Options

Mode Shift

Incentives

Land Use

Management

Policies and

Programs

Alternative Work Schedules

Bicycle Improvements

Bike/Transit Integration

Carsharing

Guaranteed Ride Home

Security Improvements

Park & Ride

Pedestrian Improvements

Ridesharing

Shuttle Services

Improved Taxi Service

Telework

Traffic Calming

Transit Improvements

Bicycle and Pedestrian

Encouragement

Congestion Pricing

Distance-Based Pricing

Commuter Financial

Incentives

Fuel Tax Increases

High Occupant Vehicle

(HOV) Priority

Pay-As-You-Drive

Insurance

Parking Pricing

Road Pricing

Vehicle Use Restrictions

Car-Free Districts

Compact Land Use

Location Efficient

Development

New Urbanism

Smart Growth

Transit Oriented

Development

(TOD)

Street Reclaiming

Access Management

School and Campus

Transport

Management

Commute Trip Reduction

Freight Transport

Management

Marketing Programs

Special Event

Management

Tourist Transport

Management

Transport Market

Reforms

6/13/2012

Mode Shifts

How do we

convince people

who drive luxury

cars to shift mode?

Increasing Transit Mode Share

62

A portion of the population

is transit dependent and

will use transit services

even if poor quality.

As public transit service

quality improves it will

attract an increasing

portion of discretionary

travelers (people who can

travel by automobile).

Attracting Discretionary Riders

• Quality service (convenient, fast,

comfortable).

• Low fares.

• Support (walkable communities, park & ride

facilities, commute trip reduction programs).

• Convenient information.

• Parking pricing or “cash out”.

• Integrated with special events.

• Positive Image.

Transit Station Level-Of-Service

• Clean

• Comfort (seating, temperature, quiet)

• Convenience (real-time user information, easy fare payment)

• Accessible (walkability, bike parking, nearby housing, employment, nearby shops)

• Services (refreshments, periodicals, etc.)

• Security

Ridesharing

Market studies suggest that a third of

suburban automobile commuters would

consider vanpooling, if it had: • Flexibility.

• High Occupant Vehicle priority lanes and parking.

• Financial incentives.

• Integration with public transit.

• Employer support.

Employee Trip Reduction Programs

Employers encourage

employees to walk,

bicycle, carpool, ride

transit and telework

rather than drive to work.

Transportation Management Associations

Transportation Management

Associations (TMAs) are private,

non-profit, member-controlled

organizations that provide

transportation services in a

particular area, such as a

commercial district, mall, medical

center or industrial park.

TMAs provide an institutional

framework for implementing

Mobility Management.

Walking and Cycling Improvements

• More investment in

sidewalks, crosswalks,

paths and bike lanes.

• Improved roadway

shoulders.

• More traffic calming.

• Bicycle parking and

changing facilities.

• Encouragement, education

and enforcement programs.

School & Campus Transport Management

Programs that encourage

parents and students to

use alternative modes to

travel to schools, colleges

and universities.

70

Smart Growth Development

• Compact (density)

• Mixed development (proximity)

• Urban villages

• Connectivity

• Walkability/bikability

• Public transport

• Public realm

• Parking management

Affordable-Accessible Housing

Locate affordable housing in

accessible areas (near services

and jobs, walkable, public

transit).

Diverse, affordable housing

options (secondary suites, rooms

over shops, loft apartments).

Reduced parking requirements.

Reduces property taxes and

utility fees for clustered and infill

housing.

73

Carsharing

Automobile rental

services intended to

substitute for private

vehicle ownership.

Parking Management

• More flexible parking requirements.

• Share parking spaces rather than having assigned spaces.

• Charge users directly for parking, rather than indirectly through taxes and rents.

• Parking Cash Out (Employees who current receive free parking are able to choose a cash benefit or transit subsidy instead.)

6/13/2012

Potential For Change

Some people would

prefer to drive less

and use alternatives

more. Focus on them.

What would help these

people change their

travel behavior?

Supported by Professional Organizations

• Institute of Transportation

Engineers.

• American Planning Association.

• American Farmland Trust.

• Federal, state, regional and

local planning and

transportation agencies.

• International City/County

Management Association

• National Governor’s Association

• Health organizations.

• And much more...

Motorists Benefit Too

More balanced transport policy is no more “anti-car” than a healthy diet is anti-food. Motorists have every reason to support these reforms:

• Reduced traffic and parking congestion.

• Improved safety.

• Improved travel options.

• Reduced chauffeuring burden.

• Often the quickest and most cost effective way to improve driving conditions.

Local Initiatives

• Cool California Challenge

• Bike to Work Week

• Complete Streets Program

• Safe Routes to School

• 350 Sacramento

• …

“Raise My Taxes, Please! Evaluating Household Savings From High Quality Public Transit Service”

“Evaluating Public Transit Benefits and Costs”

“Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis”

“Parking Management Best Practices”

“The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be”

“Online TDM Encyclopedia”

and more...

www.vtpi.org